Interior Designers Hermanus ~ Emphasis on Lighting

Interior Designers Hermanus ~ Emphasis on Lighting

Good lighting can make or break the atmosphere in your home and is often a neglected aspect of interior design. Use the lighting in your home as a design tool to focus on particular features while concealing others.

Where interior lighting from comes from a wide variety of sources it creates layers of overlapping light pools which creates a wonderful atmosphere so use wall lamps and table lamps as well as central pendants, side lights and up-lighters.

My personal tip is to fit dimmer switches wherever possible as they are the ultimate in creating a versatile lighting system and when it comes to bulbs ensure a mixture of lower and higher watt bulbs for good mood lighting. To prevent too much glare try to use warm lighting with a yellow rather than blue glow.

With regards to lamp shades, those with an opaque cover tend to channel the light downwards to create contrast while translucent lamp shades diffuse the light rather more gently.

Accent lighting can help you to show off special ornaments, a painting or an alcove filled with eye-catching objects – simply direct a spotlight at a feature you want to highlight.

If you wish to make your small room appear larger ensure that there is light in all four corners. You can also use uplighters to bounce light onto the ceiling and walls or you can create panels of light at one end of the room which will make the space appear longer to the eye.

If you have a cold high ceilinged room and wish to create a cosier atmosphere use a selection of table lamps either on their own or in a group to create low pools of light that do not reach the ceiling.

Uplighters throw light onto the ceiling, which then bounces off, creating a soft look. They work best in rooms with light-coloured ceilings, particularly in studies as the fact that the light is directed upwards prevents glare. Use uplighters behind sofas or large pieces of living room furniture where the light they create is most effective.